Always With You
by Milotic
Summary: A mysterious assailant has attacked Ash, leaving few clues behind. Misty has seemingly disappeared, the only connection Ash has left to her being a cryptic letter. Meanwhile, who are these strange girls helping to take care of Ash at the hospital? AAML
1. Prologue

Always With You

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I do, however, own this story.

Edit 6/6/09: Jun's name changed to his English name, Barry.

Groaning slightly, I shift from one side to the other, wincing as pain shoots through my body. I try to smile bravely, but something in my face must betray me, for Mom is at my side in instant.

"What is it, baby? Where does it hurt?" she asks, reaching over to stroke my black hair. Man, I hate it when she calls me "baby." I'm practically an adult now, for God's sake! Still, there's something so comforting and familiar about my mother's touch and soothing words, and I can't help but soak them in happily. Perhaps I need all of the comfort I can get right now.

"Ash, don't try to move, alright? Just try to take it easy for now." Brock shakes his head as he speaks, his voice solemn and low. He, like the rest of us I suppose, can't believe what happened.

"When do you think the doctor will be in?" Dawn asks anxiously, twisting her hands together. When we arrived at the emergency room the hospital staff had insisted that only Mom could stay in the small examination room with me, but Brock and Dawn, the good friends that they are, had been adamant that they remain with me throughout the ordeal. I'm so lucky to have them.

Right after Dawn finishes speaking, a tall, thin man with salt and pepper hair and a bushy mustache enters the room, a manila envelope clutched in both hands tightly, almost as if it contains the secrets of the world and he's protecting them from prying eyes. Jeez, what could be so important?

"Hello, Ash." The man fumbles with the envelope, fingering it nervously, and readjusts his blue-green scrubs. What could be making him so afraid?

"Uh, hi." I try to speak loudly and confidently, but my voice is barely a whisper, one strained by intense pain. Mom catches on immediately.

"Surely you must be able to do more for his pain!" Mom stresses, her face twisted in anguish. I realize that watching her only child suffer this way must be as painful for her as it is for me. "Can't you see that he's suffering?"

"Calm down, Mrs. Ketchum. We're giving him as much pain medicine as we can," the doctor answers, a wee bit impatiently. He then seems to notice Brock and Dawn for the first time since arriving in the room. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you two to leave. This business pertains to family only," he states in a matter-of-fact way. "Frankly, I'm not sure how you got in here in the first place. There's a nice waiting room with a television and plenty of magazines right out that way—"

"No way!" Brock is on his feet, almost as if preparing for a fight with the older doctor.

"Excuse me?" The doctor seems shocked by Brock's sudden outburst.

I try to sit up in an attempt to argue on Brock and Dawn's behalf, but find doing so impossible. Everything hurts. Instead, I look over at Mom imploringly.

"It's alright, doctor. Ash's friends can stay," she explains calmly, having seemingly recovered from her earlier agitation regarding the pain medication.

"Well, if you're sure..." the doctor begins, to which Mom nods emphatically.

A palpable silence cloaks the room as each of us waits for the doctor to resume speaking. By the grim look on his face, I can tell that the news isn't good.

"Um, I have the results of Ash's X-rays here," he begins, almost as if unsure of how to address us.

"Go on," Mom urges, although I can sense the anxiety in her voice.

"Well, for starters, Ash has broken a couple of ribs on the left side."

I guess that's why my chest hurts so much and breathing has become such a chore. Good to know it's not a heart attack.

Dawn gasps audibly. Brock reaches over and squeezes her shoulder.

"Luckily neither lung appears to be punctured, and no internal bleeding is evident," the doctor continues.

Mom sighs in relief, but the look on the doctor's face alerts me to the fact that he is far from done. Plus, the intense pain in both legs lets me know that I'm dealing with more than a couple of broken ribs.

The doctor looks over the X-rays again, and I know he's trying to waste time, simply putting off the bad news. _Get on with it already_, I can't help thinking.

"I'm afraid that Ash has fractured the right tibia and fibula as well as the left femur," the doctor states simply and hurriedly.

"In English, please," I reply, gritting my teeth against the pain.

"It means you've broken both legs," Brock explains tonelessly, though he knows as well as I do that it's more serious than that.

"Well, Ash, remember when you broke your leg as a little boy?" Mom begins, smiling slightly. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" Clearly she's relieved that the doctor's diagnosis isn't worse, although, mercifully, she, unlike Brock, Dawn, and I, has been spared the sight of what's under the covers of the gurney I lay on. If only it could stay that way.

"Well, Mrs. Ketchum, I'm afraid the femur fracture is a compound fracture," the doctor states, and I see Mom's face darken as she realizes that things are worse than she had thought.

"W-what does that mean?" she asks,

"It means the bone's sticking out," I reply, immediately regretting my words as I see Mom's face turn green, a look of horror apparent one it.

"Oh…oh my." Mom sways slightly, catching the wall to keep from falling. Brock graciously helps her over to his seat.

"Is..Is there anything you can do for it?" Mom asks fearfully.

"Yes," the doctor responds. "We'll operate on the leg immediately, using a rod and pins to position the bone back in place."

"Surgery?" Mom seems petrified now. I want to comfort her somehow the way she's always been able to comfort me throughout my times of greatest fear and suffering, but I'm simply too exhausted…and in too much pain.

"Yes. The operating room is being prepared as we speak," the doctor explains.

"I can't believe this," Mom states sadly. "My poor little boy…"

"Don't worry, Mrs. Ketchum. The best surgeons at Viridian City General Hospital will be taking care of your son," the doctor reassures Mom.

"Thank you, doctor." Mom answers. She seems to have regained her composure, for she slowly approaches my bed. "Are you going to be alright with this, honey?" she asks me.

"Sure I am," I reply, smiling. "The sooner this surgery is over, the sooner I can eat!"

Everyone laughs. I laugh, too, glad that, for a moment, anyway, I have distracted them from the pain.

***

All I can feel is pain, especially in my left leg. Groggily, I open my eyes, but that, too, causes too much pain, so I close them again. Soon, though, a soothing voice reaches me from somewhere far away.

"Hi, sweetie. How are you feeling?" The voice is soft, feminine, and comforting. Someone reaches out and strokes my face, and the person's skin is smooth. I smile. If it weren't for the intense pain, I would venture a guess that I was dreaming.

Slowly I open my eyes again, taking in my surroundings. It appears as if I'm in a big hospital room, and my mother, the source of the voice, is sitting next to my bed. Then, horrifically, the events of the past day come charging back at me.

"When am I having the surgery?" I somehow manage to mumble.

"Oh, Ash! The surgery already happened. You're in the recovery room," Mom explains.

Oh…that's why my leg feels even worse.

"Where are Brock and Dawn?" I ask.

"They're waiting right outside. They're very strict here about the rules in the recovery room," Mom explains.

"And Pikachu?"

"It's resting at the Pokémon Center."

"Good." I smile, closing my eyes and letting the influence of morphine carry me off to sleep again.

***

"Ash Ketchum, age sixteen, was attacked by a mysterious assailant today while competing in the Kanto League semifinal match. Details about the attacker remain shrouded in mystery at this moment. All we know is that towards the end of the match he or she approached Ketchum from behind and clubbed him in both legs and the left side. The unknown assailant was dressed entirely in black and wore a black mask. He or she escaped on a large Charizard, avoiding league guards and personnel. Ketchum remains in stable condition at Viridian City General Hospital after undergoing surgery there. We will keep you posted as details about this brutal attack continue to come in to us here at Kanto Channel Seven News. We now return to your regular scheduled program…"

"It's all over the television, isn't it?" a familiar female voice asks.

"Yup. There's no escaping it," An equally familiar male voice answers.

Slowly I open my eyes, recognizing my two friends.

"Hey, Brock. Dawn."

"Ash, you're awake." Dawn states giddily, clearly happy to see that I'm no longer sleeping.

"Man, we thought you were going to sleep forever," Brock admits.

I look over at my friends, glad as ever to see them. While I may have been sleeping, clearly they haven't been. Dark circles rest below their eyes, and Dawn, who's normally so well-groomed, looks as if she hasn't brushed her hair in hours, which must be a record for her. Not for the first time that day I realize how incredibly lucky I am to have them.

"Guys, what time is it?" I question.

"Eleven o'clock," Dawn replies.

"Eleven? At night? But I thought I got out of surgery at ten!"

"Ash, it's eleven the next morning," Brock explains.

"Oh, man, I've slept for over twelve hours!"

"Hey, you must have needed it," Dawn rationalizes. "You've been through a lot."

She certainly didn't need to remind me of that.

"Where's Mom?" I ask.

"Oh, she went to get something to eat," Brock tells me. "Do you want me to go get her?"

Before I can answer, though, Mom enters the room, looking, if possible, even more exhausted than my friends.

"Oh, baby, you're awake. How do you feel?"

"Tired."

"Why don't you get some more sleep, then?" Mom suggests. I comply, but before I do I notice a strange looking figure in my room's other bed, one whose bandages cover most of his face and body. Then it's back to the land of my dreams, or, rather, the land of my nightmares…

"_Pikachu, are you ready buddy?"_

"_Pika!" the electric mouse Pokémon appeared at its trainer's side in an instant, flashing the victory sign with its paws._

"_Alright then. Pikachu, I choose you!" a teenage boy with messy black hair yelled confidently. _

_The little mouse Pokémon scampered unto the field, ready to face the Empoleon under the command of a blonde young man. _

"_You're going down, Ash!"_

"_I don't think so, Barry!" _

"_We'll see about that," Barry smirked, ready to win the battle at hand. "Empoleon, Hydro Canon!"_

_Empoleon unleashed a torrent of water, but Pikachu skillfully dodged the attack. _

"_Good job, Pikachu!" Dawn yelled from behind Ash, where she and Brock sat in the coach's box. _

"_OK, Pikachu, use your Volt Tackle attack!" Ash ordered, hoping to finish off Barry's Empoleon with one or two blows. _

_Instead of unleashing the attack, however, Pikachu looked at its trainer in fear. "Pika!" it screamed, pointing to something behind Ash. _

_Ash turned around swiftly. But before he could even react a masked figure clad in black hit both his legs with something hard and metal, causing them to collapse from underneath him. As he writhed in pain, he rolled over, and his assailant hit him in his side. _

"_Ash!" both Brock and Dawn screamed in unison. _

_Ash had to think quickly, but his brain didn't seem to be working correctly. Luckily, the always faithful Pikachu was at his side in an instant, shocking the attacker with its most powerful Thunder attack. _

_He could hear voices everywhere, but all he could see were the assailant's beady black eyes. Then his attacker, still smarting from Pikachu's attack, threw a Pokeball, unleashing a large and powerful looking Charizard. The mysterious person was off in an instant, taking flight before league personnel could reach him or her. Then everything went black for Ash Ketchum, but not before he swore he could hear his mother's screams from up in the stands. _

Author's Note: I have not forgotten Together and promise to update it soon. It's just that I was experiencing some writer's block and had this idea, so I thought I'd take advantage of it to sort of snap me out of it. My plan is to alternately update Together and this story, so I'll update the next chapter of Together and then update this one. Does that make sense?

I know there isn't any AAML in this chapter, but I promise that there will be plenty of it, so don't worry about that!

I realize that this is rather short, but it's only the prologue. The other chapters should be longer.

I hope you all had a great holiday for those who celebrate Christmas. I got a Wii for Christmas, so that's my excuse (along with writer's block) for not writing more. I have four more weeks of school break, though, so I should be able to get a lot of writing done.

Thanks for reading. Don't forget to review! :)


	2. Two New Girls

Always With You

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I do, however, own this story.

Edit 6/6/09: Jun's name changed to his English name, Barry.

"Man, there's nothing on television."

Flipping the channels with a scowl, I turn towards Dawn, who's currently keeping me company (between Brock, Dawn, and Mom I always have someone at my bedside), and grant her an imploring look. "Why isn't there anything any good on TV anymore?"

Dawn shrugs, probably afraid to give her answer. We both know why there's nothing on television; the news is rife with reports on my attack and all of the Indigo League semifinal matches have been canceled. Still, you'd think there would be something else on TV, anything, even if it were a kid's show or a silly soap opera or a game show or even a dumb talk show. Anything's better than staring at the ceiling or watching my liquid pain medication slowly drip-drop through my IV. Drip drip drip. The monotony may be killing me even more than the pain is.

"How are you feeling?" Dawn asks, probably in an attempt to change the subject. She looks concerned and still a bit shaken. Then again, aren't we all?

"Oh, alright. I'm managing." She doesn't look convinced, so I manage a smile. "Mostly I'm just hungry."

Dawn looks a bit relieved, and grants me a wary smile back. It has been almost forty-eight hours since the attack. My legs, especially my left, still burn with pain, but they're slowly beginning to feel better. Still, I have yet to leave my bed, and the indignity of using a bedpan is almost too much. I'm anxious to be able to walk again, but the doctor has yet to broach that subject with me. Something about that sits uneasily with me.

"Speaking of food, it should be time for your dinner right about now," Dawn reminds me. My stomach growls as if on cue. We both laugh, and though the laughter hurts my chest where I've broken ribs, it feels good, natural. It's something neither of us has done in a while.

Suddenly I hear a knock on my door and, looking up, notice a girl I've never seen before standing in the entrance to my room, a food cart protecting the lower part of her body from view. She wears a school girl uniform, and her long black hair and silver rimmed glasses present a striking picture. It's her eyes, though, a deep blue-green, that strike me. Even after she has left I can't get them out of my mind's eye.

"Come in," I say in my cheeriest voice, though there's some hesitance there, as I'm still struck by the girl's eyes.

She enters slowly, awkwardly, almost as if unsure of her actions, and, oddly enough, I notice, refuses to meet my eyes when she elicits a soft "hello."

"Hi. Is that my dinner? I sure am hungry!" I manage to say, still looking at the girl's strange eyes while she still refuses to meet mine.

She nods.

"It's noodles, rice balls, and endame. That's what you ordered, right?" she asks with a slight smile.

"Yes, thank you." I turn away from the girl—something about her is making me feel odd—and look towards Dawn. "I'll bet these rice balls won't be as good as Brock's."

Dawn nods, smiling at me. "Yes, Brock certainly is the best cook."

I look towards the new girl again, the one who brought me my meal, and notice her looking out the window with a strange look on her face. Is it longing?

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I got your name."

The girl turns away from the window and towards me, the strange look still on her face. "Oh, I'm sorry. My name's Michelle."

"Nice to meet you, Michelle. I'm Ash, and this is my friend Dawn. Someday I'm going to be a Pokémon Master, and Dawn wants to be a top Pokémon Coordinator," I explain, although suddenly the explanation, one I've given to countless trainers I've met on the road, seems silly; what does some school girl volunteering at Viridian City General Hospital care about my goals and dreams? Much to my surprise, however, the girl—or should I say Michelle?—smiles, her first genuine smile since entering the room.

"Nice to meet you, Ash," she says happily, and then adds "and you, too, Dawn." Michelle looks over at the sleeping figure in the bed next to mine, the one covered in bandages, and I almost detect a slight scowl on her face, but it's gone before I can really place it. She then leaves the room.

"She's a little strange, huh?" Dawn comments to me after Michelle has left.

"What do you mean? That's not very nice, Dawn." For some reason Dawn's comment about Michelle bothers me. Why would it, though? I barely know the girl, but for some reason I feel a strange connection to her and almost as if I should be defending her somehow.

"Alright, alright…sorry," Dawn says in defense of herself.

"I'm sorry, too, Dawn. I didn't mean to snap." If there's one thing I am sure of, it's that I don't want to lose my friendship with Dawn.

"That's OK, Ash," Dawn says with a smile. Suddenly she lowers her voice considerably. "Speaking of strange, what's with your roommate? It seems like he's always sleeping and he's never awake. Has he ever spoken to you?"

I pause for a minute. "Now that I think about it, no he hasn't. That is strange." I look over at my sleeping roommate; not much of him is visible, because what isn't covered by sheets or his hospital gown is covered in bandages, even a good portion of his face.

Dawn shrugs, then looks at me seriously. "How are you really feeling, Ash?"

How am I really feeling? How can I even begin to explain how I'm really feeling? I was an inch away from winning the Indigo League, an inch away from making my dream come true. All I had to do was beat Jun in the semifinals and then whoever I would face in the finals, and then I would officially be a Pokémon Master, something I've only dreamed since I was, oh, two-years-old. It seemed like after six years of extremely hard work I had finally made it. I knew Barry's Empoleon, no matter how well-trained, stood no chance against Pikachu, for Pikachu had the type advantage and had beaten Empoleon before to boot. Victory was so close! Then it was all snatched away from me.

I've never really been one to dwell on hard feelings, never been a pessimist. Still, I can't seem to shake the fear I had felt that night, the pain I had felt that night. I can still see the frightened looks on Brock and Dawn's faces, can still somehow hear my mother's scream. These things have haunted me the past two nights, making sleep, which should be a pleasant escape from the pain, little more than a nightmare. I choose not to tell these things to Dawn, though.

"I'm fine, really." I offer Dawn a shaky smile. She seems far from convinced, however, so I choose to add more to my story. "I'm just waiting for Pikachu to get out of the Pokémon Center so I can challenge Jun to a rematch!"

"Well, if you say so." Dawn speaks with hesitation, as if she doesn't believe me; why should she? How could anyone be fine after what had happened to me? How, though, does one articulate the feelings I'm experiencing? How does one articulate the unspeakable?

***

I awake to the beeping of the machine housing my IV; apparently the nurse must tinker with it again. It keeps doing that, beeping unexpectedly for whatever reason. I hear someone grunt and moan next to me and look over to find Brock sitting in the chair by my bedside, having just been woken up by the IV machine as well. He must have spent the night there, for it's now early morning. Once again I'm reminded of just how great my friends are.

"Hey, Brocko."

Brock gives me a tired smile. "Brocko, huh? You haven't called me that in ages."

I laugh, clutching my side as my broken ribs smart with pain.

"Whoa, Ash! Try not to laugh so much!"

The nurse comes in and fixes the IV machine so that it stops beeping. "Sorry about that, boys," she apologizes. "At least you'll be ready for breakfast. It should be coming any minute now."

At the thought of breakfast my thoughts travel back to Michelle again for some reason. Why do I find myself thinking about her? Why, too, do I find myself disappointed when a girl with blonde hair and deep green eyes (wearing the same school uniform as Michelle, though, I notice) enters a minute later with my breakfast?

"Hello," the young woman states cheerily.

"Well, hello there, beautiful!" Brock is on his feet in an instant, clutching the teenage girl's hands lovingly. She, much to my shock, doesn't push Brock away, but, instead, blushes and looks anxiously to the floor.

"Um, who are you?" she asks.

"Allow me to introduce myself! I'm Brock, former gym leader of Pewter City and future Pokémon breeder extraordinaire. I'm also quite the lady's man. You can just call me Brock the Rock!"

Ugh, where's Croagunk when you need it? Too bad it's resting at the Pokémon Center right now. I'd go pull him away by the ear, but I can't exactly get out of bed now, can I? Of course, if she were here she could do it, but…never mind. That's simply too painful to think about right now.

"Nice to meet you, Brock," the blonde replies, although with some hesitance I see. I noticed something funny cloud her face when Brock had mentioned he was a former gym leader. Was it recognition…or was it fear? Whatever the case, it seems to be gone now, and the young woman offers Brock a smile. This is too odd.

"And what's your name, lovely lady?" Brock asks.

"Emily."

"Emily…what a beautiful name!" Brock gushes.

"Alright, Romeo, that's enough!" I yell from my bed, greatly upset that I can't get up and pull Brock away from Emily.

Brock, in a move completely out of character for him, steps away from Emily and sits down next to me again. Is he doing what I tell him simply because of my condition? Is this how it's going to be now, everyone walking on eggshells because they don't want to upset me in my delicate state?

"Ash, I have your breakfast right here." Emily places a plate of pancakes covered in thick, gooey syrup on the tray in front of my bed.

"Thanks, Emily." Suddenly another thought crosses my mind, one I have to run past Emily.

"Emily, do you happen to know a girl named Michelle? I think she goes to the same school as you based on your uniform."

"Oh, Michelle? Yes, Michelle! We, um, we go to Viridian City High School and volunteer here at the hospital. Why?"

"Oh, um, no reason." Why do I feel my face growing red?

"Well, I'd best be going now." With that, Emily leaves me alone with Brock.

"Was she beautiful or what?" Brock asks me.

"Don't get your hopes up, Brocko!"

***

Later that day Brock and I are watching repeats of the quarterfinal round Pokémon battles from earlier in this year's Indigo League when my battle with my rival Paul comes on. Brock, however, does the unspeakable; he turns the TV off.

"Hey, Brock, I wanted to watch that! That was one of the best battles of my life!" I protest.

"Ash, I need to speak with you seriously." I look over at Brock only to be greeted by an especially solemn face. Uh oh.

"What is it Brock?"

"Um, I'm not sure how to say this, and I know this may be hard to hear, but have you given any thought to who may have attacked you?"

Whoa, where did that come from? To be honest, I've been trying not to think about it; it's just too painful.

"No, not really," I admit.

"Well, um, did you think it could be Paul?"

Now this comes as a shock.

"Paul? Why would Paul attack me?"

"Well, I don't really know, Ash. To be honest with you I don't know why anyone would attack you, but think about it. You and Paul have been bitter rivals for a while now, and he took his loss to you in the quarterfinals really, err, badly. You saw how upset he was! I mean, who knows? He may have attacked you out of anger and frustration."

"Do you really think so, Brock?"

"Of course I don't know for sure and it's just a theory, but I think it's something you should consider," Brock states somberly.

Would Paul really do that to me, though? I know he and I have never gotten along and that he doesn't exactly treat his Pokémon with the same tender loving care that I or my friends do, but is he really capable of hurting another human being?

Brock must have noticed me staring off into space, for he rubs my shoulder and offers me a smile. "I don't mean to upset you Ash, but I just think it's something you should consider. Just think back to how your battle against him went for a moment."

Somehow I can't keep my mind from wandering to that time…

"_Ladies and gentlemen, it's the last battle in the quarterfinal round of the Indigo League, and each of our battlers has only one Pokémon left!"_

_A teenage boy with black hair stood his ground at one end of the vast Indigo Plateau, a look of determination set across his face. Behind him in the coach's box sat a young girl with blue hair and a young man with tanned skin. Across the stadium a teenage boy with purple hair stood equally determined, though he had no one to support him in his coach's box._

"_Alright, Paul, you're going down!" Ash Ketchum announced triumphantly, clutching his remaining Pokeball. At the other end of the stadium Paul simply uttered a haughty "hmmph." _

"_Infernape, go!" Ash cried. A large monkey Pokémon with fiery hair appeared instantly at its trainer's side and shot a look of pure hatred at its opponent. _

"_Alright, Ash, if that's how you want to play. Go, Torterra!" A large ground and grass dinosaur-like Pokémon appeared._

_Ash gulped hard; he had the type disadvantage. Though Torterra was part grass, it was also part ground, and its ground typing canceled out its disadvantage to fire. Worse, Infernape was weak to ground types; Ash feared that with one powerful Earthquake attack it would be toast. Still, he wouldn't give his opponent or the audience a glance at his anxiety._

"_Infernape, Flame Wheel!" Ash ordered. Infernape curled itself into a fiery ball and charged at Torterra. The attack hit dead-on, but Torterra's rock-solid defense and ground resistance prevented the attack from doing much damage. _

"_Ugh." Ash could only grunt in recognition of the hurdle he faced._

"_This is bad," Brock commented to Dawn in the coach's box. "Ash has a huge type disadvantage."_

"_What's Ash going to do?" Dawn wondered aloud._

"_Torterra, Earthquake!" Paul commanded._

_Ash gasped audibly, fearing for the worst. In the coach's box Brock looked away and Dawn covered her eyes, neither wanting to see what they assumed would be Ash's defeat at the hands of his rival. _

_The onslaught seemed to never end, and Ash clutched his fists tightly together in anticipation of seeing an extremely beat-up Infernape. He had made it so far, was so close to his dream, and now it looked like he would have to settle for the Top Eight…again. Looking down towards the ground, he let out a sigh of frustration._

_Suddenly, from behind him Ash recognized a gasp from Dawn. Looking up, he saw that Infernape, though visibly exhausted, was still standing strong, a ring of red surrounding it that Ash had only seen once before, when Infernape was just a Chimchar and it wanted to beat Paul's Ursaring with all its heart. Was this blaze? Was this Infernape's true power?_

_Infernape charged towards Torterra and unleashed the most powerful fire attack Ash had ever seen, one that immediately caused Torterra to faint. Infernape then let out such a scream, a scream of hatred, which seemed to be directed at Paul._

"_Is that Blast Burn?" Brock questioned from in the coach's box. Dawn could only stare in awe._

"_Torterra is unable to battle! The winner of this quarterfinal match is Ash Ketchum!" the officiator announced._

_Paul looked towards the ground, calling his original starter Pokémon, the one who had been with him through every region he had traveled through, his Pikachu of sorts, back without a word. He turned to leave the stadium, but before doing so, flashed Ash and Infernape a look of pure hatred and resentment. Ash thought he would never forget the look in Paul's eyes…_

…_that is until he realized that he had just made it into the Top Four. It was time to celebrate!_

"Hello? Earth to Ash!"

"Huh?" Brock's voice had suddenly snapped Ash away from his memories. "Oh, sorry, Brock. I was just thinking about my match against Paul."

"Oh…it really was a great match. Congratulations, Ash."

"Yeah." What can I say? It was a really great match, and I was set to finish a really great match against Jun as well. Now, though? Now I'm stuck in a hospital bed, unable to participate in the Indigo League finals that I would have surely made it to. Is this because of Paul?

Brock lets out a large yawn, and then laughs with embarrassment. I realize with a twinge of guilt just how tired he might be. He, Mom, and Dawn have been up round the clock after my attack it seems.

"Brock, why don't you head back to the Pokémon Center and get some rest," I suggest.

"What? No, no, I'm fine. Besides, your mother won't be here for another hour."

"Brock, I am a big boy. I don't need someone here with me every minute," I say with a scowl.

"I know, Ash, but what if…?" Brock doesn't finish his statement, but I know what he's thinking.

"Brock, there are security guards outside of the room; whoever attacked me isn't going to be able to get in. What, do you think someone's going to climb in the window? I'm on the eight floor!"

Brock yawns again, and looks at me sheepishly. The poor guy must be so tired. "Are you sure, Ash? What if your mother gets mad at me?"

"She won't, Brock. Now go, and that's an order. If you don't go I'll call hospital security and tell them that you're harassing me!"

"Alright, alright!" Brock picks up his bag and looks at me one last time. "Are you sure, you're OK, buddy?"

"Yes, Brock, I'm fine. Go!"

Brock leaves and I begin flipping through the channels again. _Are you sure you're OK, buddy? _No, I'm not sure at all. Suddenly I feel very alone and vulnerable.

"It sounds like you've got some really great friends."

Where did that voice come from? I look around me in panic. Maybe someone really did come in through the window.

"Relax; it's only me…over here." I suddenly remember that I have a roommate and look over to my right to see his smiling face (or what I can see of it that isn't covered in bandages, anyway).

"Oh, hi. Who…who are you?" I grin at my newfound companion with some embarrassment.

"Oh, my name's Mark," my roommate offers.

"Hi, Mark. My name's Ash."

"I know. You've kind of been all over the news."

"Oh, yeah. Ha-ha." I laugh, suddenly feeling at ease with my roommate. Why do I feel so comfortable all of the sudden?

"Nice to meet you, Ash. It looks like you and I will be getting to know each other pretty well, since it seems like we'll both be here for a while."

My face falls. I honestly hadn't given must thought to how long I'd be in the hospital, but I had figured it wouldn't be too long. Now, though, I'm beginning to doubt that.

"Hey, don't worry! We can keep each other company!"

For some reason this makes me feel better. I smile. "Yeah."

***

"Well, honey, you're looking a little better," Mom says with a soft smile. She reaches over and brushes my hair away from my forehead. I make a face, disgusted that she's still treating me like a little kid.

"Sorry, Ash." She sounds a bit hurt.

Suddenly I feel a little bad. I don't mean to hurt Mom, and I know she's trying her hardest.

"I'm sorry, Mom."

"That's alright. I really shouldn't treat like a baby anymore. You're a young man now."

I roll my eyes at her.

"Well, it's true." She smiles at me. "Your dinner should be coming soon."

Suddenly I perk up. Will I be seeing Michelle again tonight?

Sure enough, she arrives at my doorway just as I'm wondering this.

"Hello, Ash."

"Hi, Michelle!" I sit up in bed. Why am I excited to see her and those enchanting blue-green eyes again? I barely even know her! "I met your friend Emily today."

At first Michelle doesn't seem to know who I'm talking about (why would that be?), but then recognition dawns across her face.

"Oh, that's nice. Well, here's your dinner. I'd best be going."

"Wait, don't go!" Why is she in such a hurry to go? Doesn't she want to spend time with me?

Michelle looks shocked by my sudden outburst. She hesitates, then sits down next to Mom.

"Is this your mother, Ash?" she asks.

"Yup, this is Mom. Mom, this is Michelle," I say by means of introduction.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Ketchum."

"How did you know my name was Mrs. Ketchum?" Mom asks.

Hmm, that is weird. How did Michelle know my last name.?

Michelle falters for a moment, and then finds her answer. "Well, it's just that your name's been all over the news!"

Mom frowns, seemingly unhappy that Michelle has made reference (however vaguely) to my attack.

Seeming to sense Mom's anger, Michelle gets up to leave.

"It's alright, Michelle. You don't have to leave." She's already gone, though.

"Mom!"

"I'm sorry, Ash, but I don't think she should be talking about what happened to you," Mom replies.

"She really wasn't…and besides, you don't have to censor yourselves around me. Really, I can handle it," I argue.

Mom looks apologetic. "You're right, Ash, and I'm sorry. I guess I'm just a bit shaken up."

Aren't we all?

Mom turns towards me and smiles. "I just got off the phone with Professor Oak and he, Gary, and Tracey are coming from Pallet to visit tomorrow night. I talked to Caroline and Norman, too, and May and Max will be coming over by ferry from Hoenn tomorrow and should be able to visit the day after. Won't that be nice, Ash? See how much everyone cares about you?"

Everyone? But that's not everyone…

I hesitate to ask my next question because I know I won't like the answer, but choose to do so anyway.

"Mom, have you…have you heard from Misty at all?"

Mom's face falls slightly. "No, Ash, I haven't. I'm sorry."

I must look sad or upset, because Mom immediately tries to make me feel better.

"Well, Ash, maybe she hasn't heard about the attack yet," Mom reasons.

"Mom, it's all over the news! How could she not have heard about the attack? Everyone in Kanto knows about the attack! May and her family live in Hoenn and they know about it!"

Besides, she promised she'd watch my matches…

"Ash, you know she's very busy at the gym. I'm sure she sends her regards."

Sends her regards?! Sends her regards?! Misty, my very first friend, my…I don't even know what! The best she can do is send her regards?

I spend the rest of the night in a bad mood, Mom's words of reason failing to comfort me. How could Misty abandon me at a time like this? It's bad enough that she couldn't come to my league matches even though they were held in Indigo, but now this? I'm not sure I can take it.

I fall into a fitful sleep that night, one full of dreams of my last meeting with Misty…

"_Misty, you, like, have a challenger," a valley girl voice, that belonging to Daisy, the oldest of the Cerulean City gym leaders, rang through the gym. _

"_Can't you handle it for once, Daisy?" Misty questioned from the other room._

"_Actually, I don't think you'll want me to, Misty. In fact, I think, like, this is one challenger you'll want to see for yourself," Daisy said in a sing-song voice._

"_Fine, coming, although I'm not sure what could be so great about some stupid kid challenger who reminds me too much of…Ash!"_

_Misty froze, for there she was face to face with a grinning Ash Ketchum. _

"_Hiya, Mist! Miss me much?" Ash asked._

"_I…I…of course I missed you, silly!" Misty smiled, and then did something completely unexpected to Ash; she ran over and pulled him into a tight embrace._

"_I thought you'd never come!" Misty exclaimed. _

"_Well, I've been really busy!"_

"_Yeah, but you never call, either," Misty said, her face falling slightly._

_Ash could see the pain in her face. It was true that he didn't call as much as he should have, but what could he say? Being a Pokémon trainer took up a lot of his time!_

_Suddenly Misty's face brightened. "Well, Ash, I suppose you want to battle me for the cascade badge. Let's see if you're still a loser Pokémon Master wannabe!"_

_Ash stuck his tongue out at Misty playfully . God, it was good to see her!_

_At the pool in the main room of the gym, Daisy played referee. _

"_Each participant has, like, three Pokémon. You may begin now!"_

"_Alright, then! Misty chooses Seaking!"_

_A large black and orange fish Pokémon with a beautiful tail and a large horn materialized from Misty's Pokeball. _

"_Jeez, your Goldeen finally evolved, huh, Misty?" Ash taunted from across the pool. _

"_What do you mean finally? Are you saying I'm not a good trainer, Ash?"_

"_Well, if the shoe fits, wear it!"_

"_Why you…"_

"_Um, are you two going to battle or what? I have to, like, get a manicure at two!" Daisy interjected._

"_Alright then! Pikachu, I choose you!" _

_Pikachu hesitated, not moving from its trainer's side. "Pikachu? Pikachupi!" _

"_Come on, Pikachu! I really need you, buddy!"_

"_Pika…"_

"_What, Ash? Can't get your Pokémon to battle for you!" Misty teased from the other end of the pool._

_That really got Pikachu going (was that Misty's intent all along?), prompting it to decide to fight for its beloved master._

"_Alright, let's get started then! Seaking, use Poison Jab on Pikachu!" Misty ordered._

_Seaking's poison attack hit Pikachu, but, luckily for Ash, the fish Pokémon's poison failed to set in and Pikachu merely shook off the attack. _

"_Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"_

_In an impressive show of electricity Pikachu electrocuted Seaking, causing the fish Pokémon, which was weak to electric attacks, to faint from the powerful electric attack._

"_How's that, Misty?"_

"_Very nice, Ash, but I'm just getting started! Misty chooses Corsola!"_

_The spiked pink and white water Pokémon immediately appeared._

"_Ha, I'll just take care of this one the way I took care of the last one! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"_

"_Ahh, not so fast, Ash! Corsola, Mirror Coat!" Misty commanded._

_Well, that was a new trick! Corsola immediately fired Pikachu's electric attack back at double power, causing the electric mouse Pokémon to faint. _

"_Good job, Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed, cradling his first Pokémon in his arms. If he had been looking at Misty he would have noticed a huge smile on her face._

"_I choose Grotle!" Ash cried, and the large land and grass Pokémon, Torterra's pre-evolved form, appeared. "Energy Ball!"_

_The grass attack, which Corsola had a double weakness to, hit square on, causing Corsola to faint. _

_Misty was beginning to sweat. She only had one Pokémon left, and Ash had two in perfect health. Still, she was determined to prove to him that she deserved to be a gym leader, and she was saving her biggest surprise for last. _

"_Misty calls Kingdra!" A large blue seahorse-like dragon and water Pokémon immediately appeared in the pool. Ash simply stared in awe…Misty had a dragon Pokémon?_

_Misty took advantage of Ash's surprise and ordered the first attack._

"_Kingdra, Ice Beam!"_

_Kingdra fired the frozen beam straight at Grotle, who was too large and slow to dodge. It immediately fainted._

"_Don't think I'm finished yet, Misty!" _

"_Good, because I'm just getting started, Ash!"_

_Ash knew he had to pick his last Pokémon carefully, but he had the perfect Pokémon in mind…or so he thought._

"_I choose Sceptile!" A large green Pokémon with a red strip across its belly, one Ash had caught while traveling through Hoenn, appeared by Ash's side._

"_Sceptile, Leaf Blade!" _

_Sceptile fired a barrage of leaves at Kingdra, but the attack didn't seem to do the damage he had thought it would._

_Misty laughed. "Ash, don't tell me that you forgot that Kingdra's dragon typing cancels out its weakness to grass!" _

_He had forgotten._

_Seeing the look of shock on his face, Misty continued to laugh more. "Ash, you're never going to be a Pokémon Master!"_

_Ouch, that hurt! "Take that back, Misty! I will be a Pokémon Master!"_

"_Prove it! Kingdra, Signal Beam!"_

_Kingdra emitted the bug type beam from its gaping mouth. Misty was quite proud that her Kingdra had learned both ice and bug attacks, making it a formidable opponent against the grass Pokémon her challengers so often pitted against her._

"_Sceptile, dive under water!" Ash ordered. Scpetile dove underwater and proved itself to be quite an adept swimmer, dodging Kingdra's attack._

"_Ash, it's only a matter of time before Sceptile has to surface for air, and then Kingdra will hit it with Signal Beam, ending this match in my favor."_

_Ash knew he had to think of something and that he had to think of it fast. If only Sceptile knew a dragon attack! "Argh, Sceptile, if only you knew a dragon attack!" Ash expressed his frustration out loud._

_Suddenly, without being commanded to by its master, Sceptile arose from under water, its eyes glowing in a way Ash had never seen before. It then released a powerful beam of energy from its mouth, one which immediately knocked out Kingdra._

"_But, like, how?" Daisy wondered aloud._

_Ash wasn't sure. Misty, however, was._

"_That's Dragon Pulse. I guess Sceptile learned a dragon attack just like you wanted it to." Misty couldn't help but smile. "Amazing."_

_Later that night, it was time for Misty to say goodbye to Ash. _

"_Ash, you really were amazing today," Misty complimented her longtime friend. _

"_Thanks, Misty," Ash said rather shyly. _

"_No, I mean it, Ash. I really think you're going to be a great Pokémon Master someday."_

_Ash and Misty sat together silently for a while, neither wanting to say goodbye. Finally it was Misty who broke the silence. _

"_Ash, where are Brock and Dawn? I thought you were traveling with them."_

_For reasons he couldn't yet understand Ash felt his face grow hot and red. _

"_Um, well, I told them to stay back at the Pokémon Center. I wanted to see you alone."_

_Now it was Misty's turn to become red. "Oh."_

"_Well, I'd guess I'd better get going then," Ash suddenly stated._

_Misty's face fell. She didn't want to say goodbye just yet, for she knew it would be a long time before she would see or hear from Ash again._

"_Goodbye, Mist."_

"_Bye, Ash." _

_Ash turned to leave, but as he did so he felt Misty tap him on his shoulder. When he turned around he saw that Misty's face was beet red, and soon he learned why, for Misty leaned in, closed her blue-green eyes, and kissed him gently on the cheek. _

"_That's for good luck in the Indigo League," she said simply._

"_Oh."_

_Suddenly Misty's expression changed. "Well, you're going to need it!"_

_With that she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Ash to ponder what had happened._

When I awake the next morning I have an aching head as well as aching legs and an aching chest. I notice that Mom's sleeping soundly, so not wake her I open the bag sitting next to my bed without making any noise and pull out a letter that's addressed to me in feminine handwriting. The letter is worn, the result of being folded and unfolded many times. I read it.

_Dear Ash:_

_I'm really sorry, but I'm too busy at the gym to attend the Indigo League this year. I want you to know that I'll be rooting for you from afar, though. Please remember that no matter how far away from you I am I am always with you. _

_Misty._

Always with me? What's that supposed to mean? Whatever the case, it doesn't seem to be true now, does it? With perfect aim I throw the letter into the trash can across the room.

Author's Note: Wow, two updates in one week! Well, I guess that's spring break for you. I'm not sure when I'll be able to update again next, though, because I'm way behind in school work and have to finish applications for summer programs (not to mention my break is over in two days).

I hope you like this story so far, because I actually do! (Usually I hate my stories.) I mean, it's not that well-written, but I like the story and where it's headed. Let me know if you do. For some reason this story doesn't seem nearly as popular as my other stories, and I'm not sure why. Is there something wrong with it?

I'm sorry that the battles kind of stink, but I'm not very good at writing them.

Anyway, thanks for reading. :)


	3. More Mysteries

Always With You

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I do, however, own this story.

I reach my arms (the only parts of my body that feel good, it seems) up to the sky, stretching. What a long night it was. After reliving my battle and encounter with Misty in my dreams, I seemed to sleep rather restlessly and fitfully. I scowl as I glance at the trash can across the room from my bed, remembering the letter that it now holds. How could Misty do this to me? How could she forget about me when I need her most? Maybe she hasn't forgotten about me, though; maybe she just doesn't care. Always with me…humph!

Still, what of our gym battle, though? What of that kiss on the cheek? Why do I feel so funny when I recall that moment? Why do I feel like I'm about to jump out of my skin in agitation…yet good at the same time?

Next to my bed Mom moans softly and slowly opens her eyes. She stuck by my side all night, sleeping in the hard-backed chair by my bed. I'm so lucky to have her…and Brock and Dawn, too…and all of my other friends, who I just remembered will be visiting, too. Why, then, does it hurt so much that Misty isn't here? Would it feel as painful if one of my other friends were the one missing in action at this crucial time?

"Hi, honey. How are you feeling?" Mom asks, rubbing her eyes awake.

I suddenly put on my biggest smile. No one should know how I'm really feeling.

"Great," I say.

Mom raises an eyebrow. "Really, you looked rather troubled."

"Me? No way!"

"Ash, it's OK to feel upset about what happened," Mom begins slowly.

"I'm fine, really. Mostly I'm just looking forward to getting up out of this bed and walking again." That's not a lie.

Mom's face, however, falls slightly. "Sweetie, has the doctor told you anything about when you'll be walking again?"

I feel my face droop a little, too.

"No…why?"

"Oh, no reason. I just thought he would have discussed it with us by now, but I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," Mom says cheerily…a little too cheerily.

I smile again, although my insides suddenly feel slightly twisted and as if something sharp and serrated is tearing them apart.

Suddenly, I hear a grumbling sound, and realize with shock that it's my mother's stomach and not mine.

"Mom?" I ask with concern.

Mom's face turns slightly red and she looks at her lap in embarrassment.

"Mom, have you had anything to eat yet today?"

"Ash, it's not even eight o'clock yet!" she says with a smile. "You haven't had anything to eat yet, either."

She makes a good point, but something still doesn't seem right.

"Yeah, but you're usually not that hungry in the morning." Suddenly I take a real good look at my mother. Her complexion looks completely washed out; she looks pale, weak, almost as if she could pass out at any moment.

"Mom, have you eaten anything since the attack?!" I question in alarm.

"Of course, baby! Don't be silly!"

"You haven't, have you? Mom!"

"Ash, don't worry about me. You just concentrate on getting better right now!"

I sit up in bed, hoisting my heavy, limp body upward with my weak and tired arms. "Mom, I want you to go eat something right now."

"Ash, I don't need to eat anything. I'm fine."

"No, you're not. If you don't eat something I'll call security and ask them to take you away." Hey, it worked with Brock, right?

Mom looks distraught and definitely hurt by that one.

"Ash, please," she says, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

"I mean it, Mom. You need to eat something!"

"Ash, I'm fine. Look, I'm fit as a fiddle!" Mom stands up as if to prove her point, sways slightly, grabs the rails of my bed for balance, and sits back down. "Whoops, a little dizzy there! I guess I got up too soon…or maybe it was that weird coffee the nurse told me to drink."

"Mom, I'm serious. Please go get something to eat…please?" I beg.

Mom looks sad for a moment and bows her head slightly. My pleas must be working.

"Will you be alright by yourself, though? Brock and Dawn are probably still sleeping at the Pokémon Center," Mom begins anxiously.

"I'll be fine, Mom. You'll just grab a quick bite to eat and then come right back. It's no big deal, really, and I'll feel a lot better if you eat something."

Mom smiles slightly and then bends down to kiss my forehead. "I love you, Ash," she says softly.

"I love you, too, Mom. Now go!"

"Alright, but if the doctor comes in I want you to tell me everything he says."

"I will."

Mom grabs her purse and leaves, walking slowly to keep steady.

Suddenly someone knocks on my door softly. After that Michelle enters, pushing a tray that contains my breakfast.

"Hello, Ash," she says in a quiet voice. "I have your breakfast here."

Before I can reply, however, the doctor, looking perhaps even more stressed out then before, enters the room with my chart.

"Ash, I need to speak to you. Where's your mother?" he begins.

"She's getting breakfast."

The doctor looks worried. "Can I go get her?"

I think of my mother and the way she looked. "No," I say.

"Oh, alright. Well, I wanted to talk to you about your injuries." Suddenly the doctor notices Michelle, who, for whatever reason, looks frozen in the spot she is standing in, almost as if she is dying to hear what the doctor is going to say. Why would she care about the state of my injuries, though?

"Umm, miss, I'm going to have to ask you to leave," the doctor states.

Michelle looks sad and—did I even see this right?—almost a little angry, almost as if the doctor is violating some right of hers. Before I know it I've spoken up.

"She can stay," I say suddenly. Why I want Michelle, who's just some hospital volunteer I barely know, at my side while the doctor discusses my injuries I do not know. Perhaps I just want someone there for moral support. Yes, that must be it.

The doctor looks as confused as I am. "Are you sure, Ash?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Well, OK then."

The doctor sits down in the chair next to my bed, the one my mother was occupying, while Michelle remains standing in place, looking paralyzed with anxiety. Why is this affecting her so much?

I can tell by the look on the doctor's face that the news isn't good, but he attempts a smile.

"Well, I have some good news, Ash. According to our latest x-rays your ribs and your right leg are healing very well; in fact, they're doing better than we could have imagined. You must be a strong boy…or a very stubborn boy," the doctor begins.

I smile and, I notice, Michelle smiles, too, almost as if something the doctor said resonated with her. Then the doctor's face darkens. He doesn't speak for a moment before starting again.

"Well, I'm afraid I have some bad news as well. When we operated on your left leg the damage was far more significant than the x-rays showed. We were able to save your leg, but there may be some permanent damage."

I swallow hard. What does this mean? "What do you mean by 'you were able to save my leg'?" I ask.

The doctor looks uncomfortable. "Well, we didn't have to amputate it."

Amputate it. I look down at my left leg under the covers and imagine what it look like if it wasn't there, what it would be like if I didn't have a left leg. No, I can't think like that; the doctor said he was able to save my leg. Still, what about the permanent damage?

"Well, what about the permanent damage?"

"Unfortunately, the leg may never be quite right again. In other words, you might always walk with a limp or find it extremely difficult to run. Of course, with a lot of hard work and physical therapy things may be fine. You'll start PT soon; we'll want to work on walking with crutches once your legs have healed more."

I panic. "Are you saying that I'll never walk again?"

"Oh, no. I'm just saying that the left leg may never be what it once was. Certainly you'll walk again, Ash, although it may be with a limp."

I feel the tears well up in my eyes, although I blink them back rapidly. Is this what I'm destined for, being a cripple for the rest of my life? Will I never be able to run through the woods in hot pursuit of a wild Pokémon again?

"I'm sorry I don't have better news, Ash," the doctor says, getting up to leave. "You take care now."

Then I lose it.

The tears start slowly but begin to pool up quickly, rushing forth over my cheeks. I gulp. In an instant, it seems, everything I've been thinking and feeling—or trying hard not to think and feel, rather—pushes forward into my consciousness. I picture my attacker, dressed entirely in black, his or her face shielded completely from my view. I picture Brock and Dawn, bags forming under their eyes from exhaustion. I picture Misty leaning forward to kiss my cheek, her face red as a tomato. I picture Mom, looking so sad and almost sick, as she sways and loses her balance. I picture the doctor, his face anxious and disappointed. How could everything have gone wrong so quickly? How could this all have happened?

Suddenly I feel small hand squeeze my shoulder, and look over to find Michelle sitting on my bed next to me. She smiles softly, although I can tell by looking in her enchanting blue-green eyes that somehow she wants to cry, too.

"Michelle?"

She then does something I never would have expected, reaching over and gently wiping my tears away. She starts to speak, and it's almost as if she's read my mind.

"Don't worry, Ash. You'll never be a cripple…and you will run again."

***

Once again I find myself flipping through the channels, hoping to find something good on television. While the news isn't focusing on my attack anymore, I find the lack of good Pokémon battles (the Kanto League still hasn't started up again) a little disappointing.

"There's nothing good on TV," I complain to Mom, who returned from eating breakfast looking a bit better, though still a little rough around the edges.

"I'm sorry, honey."

We sit in silence for a moment, until my mother brings up something I do not feel like discussing.

"Ash, did the doctor ever come in to see you?" Mom asks.

"What? Oh, yeah."

"Well, what did he say?"

I pause for a moment, unsure about how to best answer that question. I can't tell her the truth; I just can't, because it would devastate her. How could I possibly worry my mother more than I already am? No, I must keep everything inside.

"He said that the surgery went really well and that with a little physical therapy things should be fine," I lie.

"Oh, honey, I'm so glad to hear that!" Mom looks at me, beams, and ruffles my hair slightly. "That's my Ash! I knew you'd pull through this OK!"

Yeah.

For a moment I don't say anything, simply looking at my mother, who seems so much happier than she had been before, almost as if the weight of the world has been lifted off her shoulders. I have done the right thing, haven't I?

"Ash, is something wrong?" Mom asks.

"What? No, not at all!"

"Are you sure? You look a little glum."

"Oh, well, I'm just anxious to get back to Pokémon training."

"I know, honey." Mom smiles. (Apparently I've fooled her well.) "Pikachu should be out of the Pokémon Center in no time, and I'm sure you'll be up and about before you know it. I can just picture you two now, running around and chasing wild Pokémon," Mom says with a laugh.

Ouch.

Suddenly I look up at the clock on the wall and notice that it reads two o'clock; Mom should have lunch. There's no way I'm going to let her get sick.

"Mom, don't you think you should go have lunch right now?" I question.

"Oh, I'm fine, dear."

"No, Mom, I really want you to have lunch," I insist.

"But what if—"

"I'm fine. I was fine when you had breakfast, wasn't I? Besides, Dawn and Brock should be here any moment, so it's not like I'll be alone for long," I argue, cutting her off.

"Oh, OK…but only because you insisted." With that, Mom grabs her bag and leaves.

"Looks like you've got quite the mother," a voice from inside the room says, raising panic in me for a moment. I look around and then realize it's my roommate Mark.

"Oh, yeah. Hehe, you scared me for a moment," I tell him.

"Well, I don't blame you, especially after what happened," Mark remarks. "You've really got to have your wits about you these days."

"Yeah, I guess." Suddenly I feel uneasy.

"Hey, don't worry about it. You're safe here in this hospital," Mark says. "Besides, you look like you can take care of yourself."

I glance down at my broken legs, wondering what in the world Mark could mean by that.

"No, dummy, I mean you and your Pokémon! Man, your Pikachu's tough! I'm sure that whoever attacked you is really hurting now. Also, you're a great Pokémon trainer; I saw how you wiped the floor with that Paul kid. I was really routing for you to win the whole Kanto League."

I find myself going slightly red.

"Really? Well, I didn't exactly wipe the floor with Paul; it was a pretty close match. I guess I am pretty good, though." I can feel some of my old cockiness returning already.

"Good? You're great! You'll be a Pokémon Master in no time!"

"Yeah, well, I've had a lot of help along the way," I reply. Why do I find myself thinking of Misty in particular when I say this? "I have a lot of great friends."

"Man, I can tell! Just be careful about whom you choose to spend time with," Mark warns.

What's that supposed to mean?

"Oh, I wouldn't worry too much," Mark begins, clearly catching on to the anxiety his recent statement produced in me. "I mean, your pals Dawn and Brock seem great. I would just worry about people you don't know that well, you know, people like Emily and Michelle…especially Michelle."

Michelle? But Michelle's…

Before I can question Mark further or even finish my train of thought, Dawn and Brock have entered the room, each looking rather excited.

"Ash, we have a surprise for you!" Dawn says in a sing-song voice.

A surprise?! Now I've forgotten about Michelle and what Mark said completely.

Seeing my look of anticipation, Brock only adds to the suspense.

"That's right! Boy, you're going to love this," he says happily.

Dawn walks over to my bed and begins to unzip her bag. Before I know it a blue and white penguin Pokémon has appeared right from inside the bag.

"Piplup!" it says happily.

"Oh, hey there, little guy!" I respond.

"I'm really sorry that we couldn't sneak in Pikachu, but it's still resting at the Pokémon Center," Dawn explains.

"Oh, that's alright. I know you'll sneak it in as soon as you get the chance," I say with a wink.

"That's not all, Ash," Brock begins. "We talked to your doctor and he said it's OK for you to go outside for a while. I mean, we'll have to wheel you around in a wheelchair and security will have to be with us the whole time, but won't that be great?"

Great?! That's beyond great!

"You guys are the best!"

"Hah, great! Let us just get the wheelchair and we'll be on our way out," Brock tells me.

As Brock helps me into the wheelchair to get ready to go out, I look around the room with a smile; I certainly won't miss it, even though I know I'll only be gone for a little while. Suddenly my eyes fall on Mark and I feel at twinge of guilt.

"Um, guys, what about my roommate?" I ask.

Brock and Dawn look around in confusion, almost as if they hadn't even noticed that I had a roommate. Then their eyes fall on the heavily bandaged Mark.

"Um…" Dawn's clearly unsure of what to do.

"It's OK. I don't mind staying here," Mark says.

"No, I want you to come outside, too," I push.

"Yeah, Ash's right," Brock decides. "You can come out with us, too. We'll just have to get another wheelchair."

Once again I'm thankful to have such kindhearted friends.

***

As Brock wheels me around the hospital courtyard, I can't help but grin. The air feels fresh and clean and the Pidgey are chirping. The sun is shining, its warm rays beating down on me. I'm surrounded by wonderful friends. What could be better?

Well, Misty could be here.

I shake my head at the last thought. It's stupid to focus on her when I have other friends who care about me. Still, I can't help feeling a little sad.

Suddenly Brock stops pushing me. I look over and notice a goofy grin on his face…a lovesick grin.

"Emily!" Brock suddenly cries, abandoning his post at my wheelchair and rushing over to the blonde girl.

Emily turns around from speaking with someone when Brock calls her name. That someone, I notice, is Michelle. The two look like they were engaged in a serious conversation, frowns etched across their faces, but they smile when they see us.

"Oh, hello, Brock," Emily says awkwardly. "It's, um, nice to see you."

"Oh, my beautiful, it's ever so nice to see you and your deep green eyes. I feel like I've waited all of my life for this encounter."

"Uh, that's nice."

I look over at Michelle, who smiles at me.

"Hello, Ash."

Why do I feel myself turning red?

"Uh, hi, Michelle. These are my friends Brock and Dawn," I say quickly, struggling slightly.

"I know." Michelle just smiles at me.

"Oh, and, uh, this is my roommate Mark," I add.

Suddenly Michelle's face darkens. I notice a similar look of dislike on Mark's face. Why would these two dislike each other, and how would they know each other?

"Yes," Michelle says simply.

Suddenly Piplup comes running over, squawking joyfully.

Michelle's face brightens.

"A Pokémon! I love Pokémon! Does it battle?" she asks.

"Oh, yes," Dawn explains.

"Can I battle it?" Michelle suddenly questions, a question immediately followed by a look of terror on her face. I notice a similar look on Emily's face.

"Wait, you're a Pokémon trainer?" I ask, suddenly very excited.

"Um, well, no, not really…I mean, yes, well, kind of," Michelle stammers.

"Of course you can battle us!" Dawn finally replies, clearly happy to have someone battle with.

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Emily interjects.

"Oh, I'm sure it's fine," Brock butts in.

"Come on, Piplup! This girl wants to battle us," Dawn explains to the young penguin Pokémon.

"Um, alright. Well, then, go, Azurill," Michelle cries without much enthusiasm.

A little blue Pokémon, the pre-evolved form of Marrill, appears suddenly, a large grin on its face. Where have I seen this Pokémon before? Oh, yeah, Misty had one; it, along with her Togepi, was her only none water type Pokémon. I can't think about that, though.

"Oh, this should be easy," Dawn says happily. "Piplup, use Peck!" Dawn orders.

Michelle just sits there, apparently unsure of what to do. The attack hits Azurill dead-on, although it doesn't seem to have had much effect. Azurill looks up at its master in confusion.

"Azurill, um, use Bubble?" Michelle instructs, though it sounds more like a question than an instruction.

"Azurill?" the Pokémon questions. It obeys its master, though, unleashing a torrent of bubbles from its mouth.

The bubbles hit Piplup, but do very little damage to the water Pokémon because of its typing.

"You're going to have to try harder than that, Michelle!" Dawn boasts. (I guess I've rubbed off on her a little!) "Don't you know that water Pokémon resist water attacks?"

"Oh," Michelle says softly, although she almost looks irritated. The aggravation seems to be gone in an instant, though, because she's once again calling out dumb moves.

"Azurill, Water Gun," she says without much enthusiasm. Her heart really doesn't seem to be in this.

Once again Piplup laughs off the damage. "Piplup, Bide," Dawn commands.

Piplup begins storing energy, preparing to release a full-fledged attack. Now's Michelle's chance; if she can keep attacking before Piplup can unleash its attack, she'll win.

"OK, Azurill, um, use Splash," Michelle orders.

Splash? I look at Brock and Dawn, who seem to share my confusion. Why would anyone order a Pokémon to use Splash? Either Michelle's dumb as dirt when it comes to battling or something weird is going on here. Even Azurill looks confused, although it obeys its master.

The attack, of course, does nothing, and Piplup ultimately releases Bide, knocking out Azurill.

"Well, if that wasn't our easiest match ever I don't know what was," Dawn says to her Penguin Pokémon.

"Thank you for the match, Dawn," Michelle states, although I hint frustration in her voice.

Suddenly I hear laughter, looking around to find it coming from Mark.

"What a pathetic battle," he says with a sneer. "Why didn't you show your real power…_Michelle_?"

Michelle looks incredibly angry, almost as if she's ready to attack Mark, but before she can Emily grabs her arm and drags her away from us. Soon the two girls are gone.

"Oh, my lovely Emily! Why'd you have to leave us?" Brock cries.

"That was really weird," Dawn says.

Indeed.

***

Later that night I'm laying in bed, Mom once again by my side. I flip through the television channels again, frustrated that there's still nothing on and even more frustrated to be back in my room, when I hear a knock on my door. I immediately beam when I see who's there: Professor Oak, Tracey, and Gary.

"Hello, everyone!" Mom happily greets out visitors, rushing over to see them.

"Hey, guys!" I say with excitement.

"Hey, Ash. How are you feeling?" Tracey asks.

"Oh, alright. I'm managing."

"Wow, Ash, I always knew you were dumb, but I didn't know you were this dumb," Gary says with a smile.

"Gary, now that's not very nice," the professor replies.

"Heh, you know I'm only kidding, right, Ash?"

"Yeah, I know," I say. God, it's good to see them all!

"Well, Ash, you've certainly given us all quite a scare," Professor Oak begins. "It's good to see you hanging in there."

"Yes, it certainly is," Tracey adds. "You're quite the trooper."

"Oh, that's my boy," Mom says with a smile, which soon fades to a frown. Pretty soon she's in tears.

"What is it, Delia?" Professor Oak asks with concern.

"I just…I just can't believe this could happen! Who would want to hurt my baby?"

Professor Oak puts his arm around Mom, who buries her head in his shoulder.

"I just want Ash home with me!" she says, choking on her tears. "I don't want him to have to be in this lousy hospital for Christmas!"

Christmas…I hadn't even thought of that. It is coming up soon, and I suppose I'll be stuck here.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Ketchum. If Ash is here over Christmas we'll make sure he still has a great holiday," Tracey says soothingly.

"I know…Ash is so lucky to have such great friends." Mom sniffs, calming down a little. This is the first time she's really lost it since the attack. I suppose it was inevitable.

"Come on, Delia. Why don't we go outside and get some air?" the professor suggests. Mom looks ready to protest, but he adds, "The boys will stay here with him. It'll be fine."

Professor Oak leads Mom out of the room, and I'm left alone with Gary and Tracey. An awkward silence takes over. It appears neither knows what to say or how to even interact with me anymore. It's not like I'm a different person now; I'm still the same old Ash. Why can't people treat me that way?

Gary breaks the silence.

"So, Ash, have you, um, have you give any thought to who might have attacked you?" he asks.

Not that question again. Haven't they realized that it's the last thing I want to think about?

"Um, no, not really. Brock thinks it might have been Paul, but I'm not so sure," I explain.

"Well, um, Gary and I have a different theory," Tracey begins.

"Oh, what's that?" I question. I reality I don't want to hear it and just want to tell them both to shut up, but I feign interest.

"Well, have you ever considered the fact that Team Rocket might have attacked you?" Gary asks me.

Team Rocket? I start to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Gary questions, an angry look forming on his face.

"Team Rocket? Those bumbling block heads couldn't hurt a Ladyba!"

"Not Jessie, James, and Meowth or even Butch and Cassidy, but the real Team Rocket. The Kanto police have been investigating the organization, and it has some really dangerous members," Tracey explains.

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that," I confess.

"Well, I think you should consider it. Just be sure to be on your guard, Ash," Gary recommends.

"OK."

Desperate to change the subject, I try to think of something else to talk about. The only thing I can think of, unfortunately, is equally painful, although I realize that this may be my chance to get some information.

"Tracey?" I say timidly.

"Yeah?" the Pokémon Watcher responds.

"Well, um, I was wondering if you'd heard from Misty at all. I mean, I know you keep in touch with her and Daisy."

"Oh. Well, I haven't heard from them recently, but I know they've been really busy at the gym lately," Tracey replies. "I'm sure, um, I'm sure Misty sends her regards." Tracey hesitates when he speaks, however, almost as if he knows something and won't tell me.

"Oh, Ok." I try to fake a smile, but I'm afraid my face must betray me, for Gary and Tracey just look at me sadly.

Misty, why can't you be here?

Misty, where are you?

Author's Note: I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I know I'm going to get a ton of flack for this one, because I know, like, everyone wants me to update Together and that no one cares about this fic, but I had a sudden urge to work on this fic again, and when you're in the midst of writer's block, well, you take what you can get, right?

You can expect updates on this fic and more drabbles for the Alphabet Challenge soon. I might just update Together, too, so be on the lookout for that! (Don't worry for one moment, because I have not abandoned Together and promise to finish it.)

I hope I didn't offend anyone by using the word "cripple." I honestly can't think of a more politically correct term to use. If there is one let me know and I'll change it.

I hope you didn't mind the little bit of Eldershipping I added in.

I hope you're enjoying this fic. I actually kind of like it (and I don't usually like my fics), so I'm not sure why it's not more popular or as popular as my other fics. Leave me a review and let me know what you think.

Thanks. :)


End file.
